Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

Late pics for day 10 - been out hunting die casts!

[AndyW201]

So, latest purchases.

On Saturday, whilst in B&M, picked up the next one I was after in the World Tour series,

One of the best castings of late, I've only had this as a mainline so far, but the extra detailing of the premium version makes it even nicer,

Love the wheels fitted to this one, and nice little Cloverleaf sticker.

In Asda, they had the usual Hot Wheels stock from early in the year, but there was a seperate clipstrip with a few more recent releases on,

I do like these 928s, seems an unlikely choice as an off road rally car, but looks great for all that, the brown coloured tyres to simulate mud are nice little touch,

Didn't know this one was a Treasure Hunt until I got it home.

Been after a Bumblebee for a while, finally found one in the shops!

Entertainer in the town centre wasnt too bad for a change. Had the Majorette Castheads stuff in (was tempted by the Porsche 911 in Gulf-lookqlike colours), HW F&F premiums were reduced in price(still trying to resist that grey '80s Caprice) and the Roadkill Rotsuns were down to £4.20, been after one of those for a while, but I sat on my wallet as I'm trying to be good... On my way out though, I spied a box of Matchbox Power Grabs. There wasn't much to excite, but I did grab this,

I got one of these CLA wagons (sorry, shooting brake) a while back, carded, but it looked a bit drab in all-black.

This one's a much jollier thing in bright red, and it also appealed as my daily driver is also a small, bright red Mercedes, albeit a few decades older...

The intricate CLA front end is rendered brilliantly on this,

Looks great too with the panoramic roof and polished rims on the wheels.

[bunglebus]

I had quite a good day at the shops, didn't know Entertainer had changed delivery day so managed to find new stock both there and in Smyths 

Smyths had lots of new mainline Hot Wheels 

Love the paint on the 55, especially the roof

New burgundy colour for the Audi

Another recolour for the El Camino

Mustang is I think the same as the Dark Horse matt blue version, looks pretty nuts in metalflake silver

BRZ has got the blues

For some reason this reminds me of a bee, but I like it

This made me double take - I thought I'd found a Super! Mainline looks very similar it seems

Don't think anyone would be brave enough to do this to a real Delorean 

Check this mad new Miata casting out, love it

Recoloured Jeep

Entertainer had new Matchbox (all the Fiestas gone of course), I found some decent moving parts

This is quite an interesting casting, but it looks seriously unstable on that tiny wheelbase!

Interior detail is good, has a sliding sunroof as well as the side door opening

Next up is the ShitSpitfire

Again, nice interior

Number plate action

Bonnet doesn't actually open very far to see the engine

Last, and 100% not least, is the Corvair Rampside Truck 

Fantastic 

[Datsuncog]

Some cracking finds, there! The Spitfire and the Corvair Rampside are on my must-find list; the Land Rover camper is such an oddity that I'd have bother resisting if I ever found one...

Went into the central Belfast branch of The Entertainer myself this afternoon, to see if there were any new Moving Parts in stock - but nope, just the same sad solitary Jaguar iPace in Horrible Orange, with the well-documented box-rubbing damage to the roof tampo.

So I left it.

The selection of Matchbox mainlines in this branch is exceptionally poor, more's the pity:

Never mind 2025, this is the case mix from early 2023 - so they've been clogging up the pegs with no takers for nearly two years now. 

Yeesh.

Still, they did have more of the latest releases from the Working Rigs series:

Mostly just the road grader and the crop sprayer left now, mind - a couple of the white International box vans with the tail lift were lurking, but all the blue MAN dropsides with telehandler were gone.

And - they also had some 2025 release 5-packs just in.

The Lamborghini Miura and Alfa Junior in the Italian Roads pack are very appealing, as is the '75 Cadillac Eldorado convertible in the Cruisers pack.

Not terrible value at £9 a go, though I've limited interest in the other cars (mostly as I already have them in other colours), so didn't bother.

The Castle Court branch of Poundland had some 2025 Matchbox mainlines on the pegs, but it seemed to have been well-picked over at the weekend - obviously there were no Fiestas left, and not very much else to get excited about (mainly bulldozers, police cruisers and those Indiana Jones motorbikes left).

This branch had a HUGE dump bin full of recent-ish Hot Wheels, though.

Must be a couple of cases' worth in there, and there are a couple of releases I still have half an eye out for - but I didn't really have time to start hoking through it properly.

I also checked the Ann St branch of Poundland, but they were only stocked up with 2024 Matchbox mainlines - same as the Longwood, Cityside and Carrick branches.

Similarly, I squeezed my way into the mini-B&M in Rosemary St but their Hot Wheels were stuck amidst the mid-2024 cases and their Matchbox were even older, having recently restocked with that 2023 mix that includes the orange Kadett coupe.

Crazy.

Plenty of HW Fast& Furious Silverlines too - including the Chevy Nova and Chevelle and stripped-out Fleetline - but I've all the releases from that series that I want.

I even trailed over to the model shop in Smithfield and apparently ruined the proprietor's afternoon by coming in for a browse, going by the groaning and sighing I elicited upon stepping though the door - he's plenty of Moving Parts and Matchbox Collector items in stock, plus some nice Greenlights, but none I really wanted. 

He did have all the new Working Rigs though, including the MAN telehandler, at the surprisingly low price of £4 a pop. But I've already got the two I want, and I didn't pay much more, so hey.

Ah well - not exactly great success, despite my best efforts.

But the day wasn't done completely...

[FakeConcern]

A few of my kind of sellers at the toy fair yesterday as quite a few cheap tat rummage boxes.

These were £1 each so great for spares, even if just steering wheels/wheels and tyres.

These were £2 each, another Super Kings XR4i and another Saico EP3R, don't really want those, but I like them!

£3 each

I got a Dinky Vega coach (ok just the shell) and a Corgi Commer bus for Eddy recently, so made me think I'd like them too!

These two for £5

£10 for the three

A few weeks ago I saw a Zylmex Charger in DOH style livery and hummed and harred but left it. Next time I saw the seller I asked about it, but hadn't brought it. This time he brought it along for me!

 I needed a Corgi Countryman for a project and wanted a Buggy roof and surf boards for another and they were quite cheap. The seller also had the other two which weren't cheap, but I wanted quite a lot. The Corgi Chrysler is one I had in that colour as a kid, but now not in great condition. The Dinky Monteverdi is one I remembered wanting as I saw it in a closed toy shop while on holiday in Norfolk in 1968 and wanted one ever since. However looking it up it seems that model didn't come out until 1970 or 71 so I don't know how my memory has twisted everything up! I'm still very glad to have got it though!

Of the £1 selection the Corgi Land Rovers are interesting, it's amazing what kids do their toys, I'd never do that...

Ok I own up, here's my original Corgi Chrysler

I don't remember cutting the wheel arches out, but here we are, I suppose I thought it looked better, I don't remember

Out of all that cheap tat @eddyramrod only claimed the Dinky Silver Cloud so I think we can say he's cured!

A few weeks ago I bought a slightly play worn Yonezawa 911 Turbo and I've just finished painting it

I love toys with boot/bonnet/doors all opening

[bunglebus]

11 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

These were £1 each so great for spares, even if just steering wheels/wheels and tyres.

Mustang looks better than mine!

*Edit* hang on it's a Buick Riviera not a Mustang. And what's the green one?

11 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

These were £2 each, another Super Kings XR4i and another Saico EP3R, don't really want those, but I like them!

You did very well paying £2 for a Dinky Beetle, they're common but usually get bid to £10 at least on eBay 

Charger and red Porsche looks ace. I don't have that version of the Dodge, but I do have it in black with the same excellent 77 numbers 

 

[Datsuncog]

After unsuccessfully buzzing round the city centre like the proverbial blue-arsed fly over lunchtime, I did make a bit of a find on the way home - after stopping off at the Hot Wheels section of the big Smyths store over at Abbeycentre:

Massively oversize towbar aside, this looks like a brilliant rig. LWB Defender is good and chunky, and the Mk1 Jag really benefits from the Premium treatment to give more detail on lights, trim etc.

There were a few other Premiums that took my fancy, including some of the other Team Transports, but at £18 one was enough for today!

[AndyW201]

Last week, the Mrs went over to The Range in Stockton to look for Christmas decoration stuff like they do... So I gave her a shopping list for Smyth's as it's only next door. No dice sadly on any of the stuff I wanted. At the weekend, she asked me if I'd been over there again while I was out at the shops. But with Christmas coming, etc, I explained that I was being good. (She didnt see what I'd bought on Saturday...). She countered with the fact that all Christmas presents were bought, paid for and wrapped, Christmas food and drink is taken care of, no big expenditure on the horizon, and that I should grab something if there was anything I was after. Which, in a way, is a good thing. And, in another way, makes me wonder how much she spent at The Range and Arcadia bloody Garden Centre. Mind, the tree looks good...🌲

So, after @bunglebus's Team Transport purchases last week on here, I was on a mission. And in one of those rare occurrences, I had success,

They had quite a few of the Toyota Levin/Sakura Sprinter sets, which I like, but this was the one I had my eye on, and there was one left in the shop.

It's flipping brilliant!

Wasnt a huge fan of the new Defender at first, but some of the ones I see on the road do look quite nice, depending on the colour and spec. This Hot Wheels casting of it is a good one I have to say, and it's well detailed.

The Jaaaag though, IS a beauty. 

Even the trailer looks great too.

EDIT: beaten to it by @Datsuncog, it's what I get for being a slow typer 😆

Bah!

[AndyW201]

So, today's arrival, after a fairly leisurely journey from the Far East,

From the same '90s collection as the Celica posted by @Split_Pin, this one appealed as this is a casting that I've never had before, as it has so far only been available as a premium, so its welcome to have one as a more affordable silverline release. Plus the Evo VI has always been a fave car of mine, styling wise. An Evo VI Tommi Makkinen edition was one of my dream lottery win cars through the 1990s...

This one has the same style graphics as the Makkinen edition.

The recently launched Fuchs style wheels look good, and a bit JDM-style with the spokes blacked out. i think they suit the Evo well.

So hopefully, not long till I receive the other Hot Wheels I'm waiting for from that site. That one's an Evo too, though from a make thats closer to my heart...

[FakeConcern]

58 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Mustang looks better than mine!

*Edit* hang on it's a Buick Riviera not a Mustang. And what's the green one?

You did very well paying £2 for a Dinky Beetle, they're common but usually get bid to £10 at least on eBay 

Charger and red Porsche looks ace. I don't have that version of the Dodge, but I do have it in black with the same excellent 77 numbers 

 

Yeh I think quite a few of them were very cheap as well as the Beetle, most Corgi Minis seem to be at least £5 if the A pillar isn't broken and the van has both doors too. The Dinky Para Moke has all the tyres including a spare, just missing steering wheel and screen.

The green car is a Skoda Felicia in perfect condition, the base only has "Skoda Felicia Combi" and "M1/43" on it no maker or country at all.

You actually have a white Charger as well, I just haven't posted it yet!

[Lord Sterling]

29 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

The green car is a Skoda Felicia in perfect condition, the base only has "Skoda Felicia Combi" and "M1/43" on it no maker or country at all.

The Felicia is by "KADEN". It was a dealer model, there is one with a box here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/365053572285

[155V6]

I went to my local toyfair tonight,arrived a bit late & some sellers were starting to pack up.

I did find this though

It still has its occupants,although one has lost an ear 

Also picked this up,I didn't really need another one but it was cheap

Total spend was £10,so happy with that 🙂

[bunglebus]

I got some stuff in the post (big surprise). @flat4alfa sent me a big box of gubbins, including a Beetle with a Porsche flat 6 transplant. Not the normal way to do it but I guess it works

Glad to get a good but not too good Sand Cat, as I want to nab the clear glazing for my custom one, orange tint never did look quite right against purple

When is a Husky not a Husky?

When it's an early Juniors that would have had a paper sticker saying so on the blank bit of the base

Never really checked out a Days Gone split, but it's nicely made cast and pretty hefty too

There was also a pig for the Mrs, so she was happy. 

Norev Golf was an eBay win

As was this. I'm pretty annoyed with the seller for putting it in a jiffy bag despite requesting it was well protected, but other than the box getting a bit flattened, it's thankfully survived 

But why did I want this particular Matchbox VW 1600 TL?

It might be more obvious looking underneath - it's an unusual combination of the late body with enlarged wheel arches, but the narrow early Superfast wheels

I did have one already - but funny enough it has been squashed...

 

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, FakeConcern said:

The green car is a Skoda Felicia in perfect condition, the base only has "Skoda Felicia Combi" and "M1/43" on it no maker or country at all.

Czech Republic.  The M1:43 was the range Miniauto

Kaden (originally KDN) surprisingly remains to this day in the same factory since inception in 1950

https://www.kaden.cz/en

There is also a rather tidy die-cast Octavia Combi to get hold of

Prior to the 1990s die-cast production, it was plastic, most of which through the 1970s were copies of 1:43 Politoys; which his why models of cars not seen in the Eastern Bloc such as a FIATs and ALFAs could be had.  You can typically spot the Czechslovakia-era production because of the lurid colours, not unlike this 1980s Favorit

If you find the TATRA T613, please snap it up if not too dear.  Should be red or blue but could equally be an eye-searing chartreuse

Check out this box of 'ROCK'N'ROLL KADOCAR'S'

Yikes!

Yes that is an Anglia and Farina A40.  Because Innocenti models.

[Split_Pin]

Hey @FakeConcern those Saico Civic EP3s go for quite a bit on ebay and are surprisingly difficult to find. I paid about £10 for mine and the boot spoiler is missing. Crazy money for what was a cheap toy but I really wanted one and the alternatives are a 1/24 kit or a very expensive 1/18 model.

[bunglebus]

9 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

 

That pink plastic Anglia is the dog's

[bunglebus]

Day 11 in the Big Brother house

Hang on...

This is starting to make sense now, a bit like the High Riders accessories we we're talking about the other day

[bunglebus]

I think @flat4alfa may have done this previously, but I wanted to get the old Hot Wheels Cadillac Seville lined up with the new version to see what's changed

Pleasingly, not a lot. I had a feeling this was a new casting, as apparently the moulds don't last forever in storage due to the climate in Malaysia where they're produced. Metal base is now plastic, but other than that it appears to be just the same as it ever was

[MiniMinorMk3]

13 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Never really checked out a Days Gone split, but it's nicely made cast and pretty hefty too

 

 

Here's one I had earlier from the Custom and Classic Collection

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

Here's a few Kadens that have been through here

 

[Split_Pin]

Abrex do some nice Skoda models, I have a superb little Superb in 1:87 scale.

[Tenmil Socket]

Didn’t realise there were so many variations of this model!

 

[Tenmil Socket]

Thought I had one but looks like I’m mistaken.

 

[bunglebus]

One's the Ford LTD, the other's the Plymouth Gran Fury. They look very similar at a glance 

[bunglebus]

I've got a few LTDs, they're obviously popular with kids as they usually show up battered

Colour changer 

Taxi without the "swamp cooler"

 

[bunglebus]

Plymouth Gran Fury

 

[bunglebus]

Boxes of bits just landed. Best of the bunch is this Majorette Fourgon Volkswagen ambulance in lovely condition 

This oddity is marked as a Stunt Squad and copyrighted in the amazing year of 1977. Bumper assembly locks the body in place unit there's an impact on it, then the spring loaded body flies off

Aviva Snoopy ex-Tomica casting. Definitely need to customise one of these

Playart Corvette 

Sticking with plastic fantastics, Laser Wheels from Matchbox 

Bought this Porsche before winning the same one on FB typically 

Green Porsche to park next to the Superkings

Look at the casting flaw in this Super GT (or is it a rust hole?) QC clearly wasn't great the day this was made

Revin' Rebel version of the Challenger is quite in demand, this one's good other than the mod we all did as kids! Plan is to find a donor to fix it

Mad to think that even in this condition, you have to fight to obtain the Superfast Pontiac. This is only the second I've found, and the better of the two!

[Tenmil Socket]

5 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I've got a few LTDs, they're obviously popular with kids as they usually show up battered

Colour changer 

Taxi without the "swamp cooler"

 

Just noticed the different wheels too.

[danthecapriman]

Nice haul there @bunglebus. 
I don’t know why the purple Pontiac seems to be sought after and more valuable. Is it really that rare?

Ive got one here somewhere that’s in pretty good condition. Didn’t pay much though as it was in a job lot!

[FakeConcern]

19 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Hey @FakeConcern those Saico Civic EP3s go for quite a bit on ebay and are surprisingly difficult to find. I paid about £10 for mine and the boot spoiler is missing. Crazy money for what was a cheap toy but I really wanted one and the alternatives are a 1/24 kit or a very expensive 1/18 model.

I did ok on that as well then, I hadn't expected it to be worth more than I paid. I decided to have a look at the one I already had.

Hmm...

Interesting

Something not quite right

The tailgate doesn't open on the old one

Aha! It's actually a New Ray, nice, but the Saico one is much better...

While I was getting the Civic out I spotted the plastic Norev Peugeot Brake that I bought from @egg and the old saloon I already had

Opening tailgate!